Well-braced pilings and engineered framing connections protect coastal homes from high water and hurricane winds

Wood pilings are a time-tested
foundation. In fact, they
have been discovered intact
below major buildings of the Roman
Empire. They are also the foundation
of choice for most of the homes our
company builds along the coast of
Delaware.
A home built in any flood zone must
be elevated above the base flood level,
whether it's on pilings or a masonry
foundation. For homes built in a Flood
Insurance Rate Map flood zone rated
for "velocity wave action" (V zone),
piles or columns are required. For
many other homes in less exposed
zones along the coast, piling foundations
are recommended but not
required. We prefer to use piling foundations
on all coastal homes, and even
on inland homes where